The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success-Chapter 24
Fron tilted her head with a puzzled expression.
This was a prison for royals, so security should have been tight—no one should have been able to just walk ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) in.
'Well, not like it matters to me.'
However, being simple-minded, she quickly stopped caring.
She was planning to end her life soon anyway—what did the palace’s security matter now?
'Jaden...'
Fron closed her eyes, thinking one last time of her son.
From the moment she had entered the palace as a knight of the royal family, her life had never been something she considered precious.
But thinking of her eight-year-old son made her heart ache.
Still, Fron hardened her resolve.
'...This is for you too.'
A threat to the royal family was a threat to Jaden as well.
Either way, someone like her would only ever be a liability to Jaden.
Jaden himself had always been embarrassed by his birth mother...
Thinking of it that way, her death would not be a loss to him either.
'At the very least, if I die here, His Majesty will know I was innocent.'
Even if no one else did, the Emperor knew her well.
That was enough for her.
Still strong in martial arts, Fron started calmly laying out her plan.
'When that guard turns his body sideways, I'll snatch his sword.'
She yawned indifferently.
Only one guard posted?
It almost felt insulting.
'Idiots. Just because I'm walking around in a dress, they think the old Sir Fron can’t manage a simple thing like that? My name is still listed among the royal knights, you know.'
It was then.
The silver-haired woman from earlier carefully approached the guard.
"Um, excuse me..."
"Hmm? What brings you here?"
The guard turned his body slightly toward the woman’s voice.
'Now! The opportunity came fast.'
There was a barred door between them, but that meant nothing to Fron.
Just as Fron darted forward to snatch the guard’s sword—
The woman cried out urgently.
"Activate!"
At the same time, something sharp sliced across Fron’s arm.
Fron flinched and instinctively jerked her arm back.
'...What is this...?'
A bright light flared, accompanied by a faint sting.
It wasn't even enough to make her groan, just a slight prick. But she had failed to steal the guard’s sword.
Fron stared blankly at the fluttering, falling piece of empty parchment.
'A scroll?'
But before she could even be properly surprised—
"Oh my..."
The scrawny, silver-haired woman immediately dropped to her knees.
"Good heavens, Your Majesty!"
The woman, looking dazed, muttered like someone who had lost her mind.
"I-I was just passing by on business and saw someone trying to steal the guard’s sword, so I..."
Naturally, the guard—who had almost lost his sword—was also startled. Only now did he seem to grasp the situation.
He hastily bowed his head toward the woman and began thanking her frantically.
"Th-thank you! That could have been a disaster!"
The guard’s voice shook as it echoed inside the prison.
He was so rattled that he seemed unable to calm down.
"A-appears Her Majesty was trying to kill me and escape!"
At those words, Fron, completely exasperated, shouted back.
"Why the hell would I waste my talent stabbing the belly of a wimp like you? I don’t waste effort on that kind of thing!"
Regardless of what Fron said, the guard panted as he questioned the woman.
"A-An attack scroll?"
"Yes... I used it without thinking. I didn’t realize it was Her Majesty. What should I do?"
The woman, still kneeling, prostrated herself on the ground facing the prison.
And with a terrified voice, she added,
"T-to think I dared to harm a member of the royal family..."
Fron’s arm had only stung slightly. By now, even the faint pain had completely faded.
She waved her hand dismissively with a short laugh.
"Forget it. That little scroll was less painful than a mosquito bite. Just go about your business."
In truth, the attack scroll hadn’t been particularly strong, and it was only one.
Fron had no intention of holding a grudge, so she flopped back down lazily.
But the woman still didn’t lift her head from her bow.
"I’m truly sorry, Your Majesty..."
The first one to recover from the chaos was the guard.
He asked the woman, still lying prone,
"But why were you passing through here...?"
"Ah."
Still lying flat, the woman replied.
"I’m Namia Roafi from the Inventory Team of the Scroll Management Department."
The guard and Fron both nodded simultaneously.
So that Namia woman must be a civil servant from some scroll-related department who had used a scroll.
"I came to check the stock of illumination scrolls in the prison and... well..."
That explained why she had entered even the heavily guarded royal prison.
In the pitch darkness of the prison, it was the scrolls that provided light.
"Um..."
Namia glanced up at the guard.
"I’m sorry, but... could you go call an emergency team official from the Medical and Public Health Department...?"
"Huh? Me?"
"There might be a need for emergency treatment, right?"
At that, Fron let out another exasperated shout, still lying sprawled out.
"Emergency team? For this crap? What the hell? Just get lost already!"
But Namia, her face blank and dazed, just kept mumbling the same words.
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"Her Majesty might get worse if we leave it like this... Please. My legs gave out, so I really can’t go..."
Fron burst out laughing.
It was ridiculous to think someone’s legs would give out over something like this.
The girl seemed quite dim and clearly wasn’t thinking straight.
The guard looked restless. He couldn’t decide what to do either.
"But I’m the guard... I can’t leave this post unattended. And if I go to the Medical and Public Health Department, they’ll make me stay to explain everything."
"Ah, then!"
Namia, still prostrated, suddenly spoke quickly.
"If you tell them Namia Roafi from the Scroll Management Department’s Inventory Team sent for her 'rival,' Luka Class will come running without needing any explanation."
"Huh?"
"I’ll stay here and guard this place."
"...You?"
The guard looked Namia over doubtfully.
Namia, scrawny as a twig, hurriedly pulled out a handful of scrolls from her clothes.
"I can’t fight physically, but... I have lots of attack scrolls."
At that, Fron roared with laughter.
"Ahahaha! That’s right! That wimp wouldn’t be able to hurt me with even a fingertip, so you’re better off! Ahahaha! You’d do a better job as a guard!"
Thus, Fron ruthlessly crushed the pride of the poor guard, who had been selected for his swordsmanship.
In truth, the guard was considered quite skilled among the palace knights.
Of course, he was no match for Fron, once the greatest knight who had guarded the royal family.
"You really think I couldn’t break out if I wanted to? Ahahaha!"
Meanwhile, Namia continued staring intently at the guard.
"There are plenty of other guards at the entrance to the prison anyway, right?"
Her brows furrowed slightly, urging him to agree.
The guard mumbled, clearly trapped and unable to decide.
"B-but still, if I leave my post..."
At that moment.
Namia’s voice suddenly turned firm and quick.
"According to the Imperial Civil Servants Law, Article 29, Clause 34, civil servants must prioritize the safety of royal family members. Just because Her Majesty is imprisoned doesn’t mean she’s not a royal. In the precedent set during the emergency accident on November 22nd last year, intentional neglect was deemed tantamount to assassination. If Her Majesty gets seriously hurt because of this, you’ll be accused of royal assassination under Royal Law Article 1, Clause 4—and not just lose your position, but your whole family could be dragged into it..."
Before Namia could even finish, the guard stammered out a reply.
"I-I’ll go right away!"
Already envisioning himself charged with royal assassination, the guard anxiously darted his eyes around.
"I-I just need to say that Namia Roafi from the Scroll Management Department called for Luka Class, right?"
"No. Not Luka Class—say 'rival.' And don’t worry about the department name; everyone will know what you mean."
